


rest just a moment

by nautilicious



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Cold Weather, Cuddling & Snuggling, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, M/M, Paladin Bond, Team Bonding, demigirl Pidge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 09:32:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12932451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nautilicious/pseuds/nautilicious
Summary: Keith can't get warm.





	rest just a moment

Every time Keith closes his eyes, he sees Shiro somewhere in the blackness of space, cold and alone. He can't eat; he can't sleep; and he can't get warm. It's as though the chill of space has settled into his bones, a relentless ache. The other Paladins think he's full of the fire of determination: his skin flushed hot, his eyes blazing, his orders sparking them into action, day after exhausting day. But it's a lie. There's ice in his heart, killing him slowly. Shiro is gone and Keith is quietly freezing to death.

When Keith wakes, he's curled into a tight ball, muscles rigid. He cracks open his eyes. It's the middle of the night, and he can see the moisture from his breath fogging the air. That's not supposed to happen. Fuck, something must be wrong with the Castle again. He staggers out of bed, wrapping himself in his blanket. Someone will be in the lounge, most likely, and he can figure out what's going on and if he has to do anything about it. Of course this happens the first time he's managed to sleep in the last two days. 

Pidge is on the couch, wrapped in what looks like all of her bedding, leaning against Hunk. Her hair is flat on one side and sticking straight up on the other, and she's not wearing her glasses. Lance is on his other side, unabashedly cuddled up against Hunk. He might be drooling a little. Hunk is snoring. Keith blinks.

"Shut up, Keith," Lance mutters sleepily. "Men are allowed to cuddle. Hunk is a furnace, you're just jealous."

Keith shakes his head. He decides he doesn't care what's wrong with the Castle right now. He can't go much longer without sleep. He brings his blanket over to the pile of Paladins on the couch. "Pidge?"

She doesn't open her eyes. "Yeah, sure, but if your feet are cold, keep them to yourself." She lifts the edge of her blanket.

Keith slides in next to Pidge, tucks his blanket over them. He leaves room between their bodies, because he and Pidge don't have a habit of touching, but her smell is comforting. He's keenly aware of the space on his other side, the cool air reminding him that Shiro should be at his back. Keith would give anything to lean against Shiro, to have that radiant heat seep into all the empty places.

"Stop thinking so loud, Keith," Lance says. "We all miss him."

Keith doesn't know if it's something resonating along the Paladin bond, or just that everyone knows Keith hasn't thought of anything else for weeks. "Sorry."

Pidge reaches over and pats his leg. He squeezes her hand, then rests his head against the back of the couch. He tries to still his mind. The vibe coming from the cocoon of Paladins is so peaceful, so gentle, that calmness steals over him despite himself. They're generating a fair amount of warmth, too. Keith's muscles slowly unclench. Nothing can warm the cold place inside him where the memory of Shiro lives, but for just a moment, Keith allows himself to rest.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm using my friend's [Sherlock holiday prompts](http://alexxphoenix42.tumblr.com/post/168021511313/sherlock-december-ficlets) for inspiration. Feel free to play along!


End file.
